Ore separator and amalgamator



(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheen 1.

Y E. L. GIROUX. ORE SEPARATOR AND AMAILGAMATOR.

N0. 397,542. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

'(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. L. GIR'OUX. ORE SEPARATOR AND AMALGAMATOR.

No. 397,542, Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

- gifi: i y

i i k a? \k I: M;

Q a *I l 0., ll- Q E an & i E 3-. s 5

' E I 5 i I Q a- 'glrg 2 I 5F i- 0 E1 I Q E 2 71522523661966, W mafia:

jwmw a: k x fl. 4 am e 3 w N. PETERS Photo-Lilhogmphen Washington. I10.

(No Model.) 4 S heets-Sheet '3.

' E. L. GIROUX.

ORE SEPARATOR AND AMALGAMATORY No. 397,542. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

N PEYERS. PhOla-Lhhoglnphcr. Washington. D. c.

(N o Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

E. L. GIROUX'.

DRE SEPARATOR AND AMALGAMATOR.

No. 397,542. Patented Feb. 12, 1889.

a java 9202,.

zgeizelz'rom.

U iTnn STATES EUGENE LOUIS GIROUX, OF ALBINA, OREGON.

ORE. SEPARATOR AND AMALGAIVlATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,542, dated February 12, 1889.

Application filed November 11, 1887. Serial No. 254,914. (No model.)

To all zv/wm, it may cancer.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE LOUIS GIROUX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albina, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Separating and Amalgamating Machines; and I do here by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for saving fine placer-gold, which is worked with great difficulty and loss by the ordinary methods of slnicing, owing to the force and volume of the water employed, while in many localities it is difficult to obtain sufiicient water for the requirements of separating-machines now in general use.

My invention obviates these difficulties by means of the construction and combination of devices hereinafter described whereby the separation of the sand and fine gold is thoroughly effected with the use of but little water, which is retained in the machine during a continuous process of separation and amalgamation, the fine gold being afforded ample opportunity of settling into contactwith the mercury, while the greater part of the sand is kept afloat and continuously removed from the amalgamating-pan to make room for repeated supplies of placer-earth.

1n the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved se tiarating and amalgamating machine. Fig. 2 is afvertical longitudinal section of the machine on the line a: "1'' of Fig. 3, which shows the machinein plan view. Fig. eis a vertical transverse section of the machine on the line y y of Fig. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the amalgainating-pan. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one edge of the pan and of one of the levers for imparting a lateral movement to the pan. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rear end of the pan and of the levers for vibrating the screening-box.

The numeral 1 designates an oblong watertank having vertical side walls and a vertical end wall at the head of the machine and formed with a slope or incline at the tail end. To each side of the tank 1, near its ends,

are secured standards 2 and 2, of suitable strength to form supports for an amalgamating-pan, a hopper, and a screening-box, and to withstand the shock and jar of these part-s when the machine is in operation.

The amalgamating-pan 3, which will be herein after more fully described, is suspended by links 1 from crossbeams 5, extended between the opposite standards, so as to be capable of vibrating both endwise and laterally. Above the lower cross-beams, 5, are upper cross-beams, 6, which serve for the attachment of links 7, by which the hopper 8 is loosely suspended, so as to be capable of vibration. The screening-box 9 is supported above the cross-beams 6 between the upper ends of the standards 2 and 2 by means of links 10 near its tail end and levers 11 at its head. The links 10 are pivoted to the upper ends of the standards 2 and have a loose or flexible connection with the ends of a cross bar or strap 12, secured to the under side of the screening-box. The levers 1]. have a pivotal connection with the head of the screening-box and with standards or lugs 13 011 the head of the am algamatingpan, and each lever is formed with a slot, 14, for passage of a fulcrum-rod, 15, having depending arms 15, which are passed down through guide-bracle ets 16, attached to the standards 2, thelower ends of said arms being secured by means of set-screws 17 in lugs 1T on the side walls of the tank. The fulcrum-rod 15 can thus be adjusted up or down in the slotted levers 1]. to vary their throw and regulate the throw of the screening-box according to the character of the material under treatment and withoutrequiring any alteration or adjustment in the speed of the ainalgamating-pan.

The screening-box 9 consists of a skeleton frame supportin a detachable wire screen or sieve, an d having a slightly-inclined apron, 9 at its tail end. By making the screen detachable it can be interchanged with others of coarser or finer mesh, as required.

In operating the machine the earthto be treated is thrown or dumped onto the screen 9 at its head end, and is gradually carried by the jerky movements of the screening-box toward the apron 9, over which the gravel and waste are allowed to escape. The vibration of the screening-box spreads the earth over t me the screen and causes the sand and gold. to drop through into the hopper S, which is. of greater length and width than the screen and extends partly under the apron. An endwise vibration is imparted to thehopper S by means of a tappet or cam, 18, on a shaft, 19, journaled in suitable boxes attached to the standards '2, to which are also attached spiral springs 20, which extend along the sides of TO the hopper and connectwith tension-bolts 21,

mounted thereon. The cam 18 bears intermittingly on the head end of the hopper to vibrate it with a jerky motion against the tension of the springs 20, which retract the hopper after each blow of the cam or tappet. The vibration thus imparted to the hopper 8 is of such character as to gradually move-its contents toward and through a transverse discharge-spout, 22, located near its head end, 20 whence it falls into the amalgamating-pan.

The amalgamating-pan 3 is suspended in the water-tank by means of links 4, as already described, and receives an endwise vibration from its head end and a lateral vibration from one side by means of suitable driving mechanism, which will now be explained.

A main driving-shaft, 23, is journaled on the outside of the'tank 1 across its head and carries fast and loose pulleys 24 and 25 at one 0 end. On the driving-shaft 23 is a spur-gear, 26, meshing with a spur-gear, 27, on an upper shaft, 28, having a sproektt-wheel, 29, and an eccentric elliptic gear, 30, at one end and a bevel-gear, 31, on its other end. The eccen- 3 5 trieally-placed elliptic gear engages and actuates a similar gear, 32, 011 the end of a shaft, 33, provided with cranks or eccentrics 34 for attachment of pitmen 35, which connect with the head of the amalgamating-pan and so vibrate it longitudinally. By means of the elliptic gears 30 and 32, loeated'eccentrically on the shafts 28 and 323, an alternating quick and slow movement forward and back is given to the amalgamating-pan 3,

whereby its contents are caused to have a tendency to move toward the head of the pan; but by means hereinafter explained thesand and refuse materials are kept afloat and propelled to the tail end of the pan, while the gold, however fine, is afforded an opportunity of settling into the mercury, which is placed in the bottom of the pan. 9

In order to proy'ide for a lateral or sidewise vibration of the amalgamating-pan to prevent the sand from forming riffies, the pitmen 35 are each hinged at or about the center, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and the bevel-gear 31 is engaged with a bevel-gear, 36, on the end of a shaft, 37, journaled lengthwise of the machine in suitable bearings along-one side of the tank. This shaft 37 is provided at suitable intervals with cranks or eccentrics 38, for. attachment of levers or connectingrods 39, which are also attached to the amal- 6 5 gamating-pan, the levers or rods 39 being hinged or jointed, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 5 to allow as well for the longitudinal move ment of the pan. The amalgamatingpan is thus vibrated both longitudinally and laterally from the same main driving-shaft, 23, its longitudinal movement being alternately quick and slow by reason of the above-described arrangement of eccentrically placed elliptic gears 30 and 32, while its lateral movement imparted through the side shaft, 37, is smooth and even. By hinging the connecting-rods 35 and 39, as shown, a simultaneous endwise and lateral movement of the pan is readily accomplished.

The sprocket-wheel 29 connects by a chain belt, 40, with a sprockct-wheel, 41, on a crankshaft, 42, journaled to the tank near the standards 2*. On this crank-shaft 42 is also fixed.

a s )rocket-wheel, 43, connected by a chain belt, 44, with a sprocket-wheel, 45, on the shaft 19, which carries the tappet or cam 18, for actuating the hopper 8, as already described. Another crank-shaft, 46, is journaled in suitable boxes or bearings on the tank near the standards 2, and is connected with the crank-shaft 42 by a chain belt, 47, and sprocket-wheels 48, or other similar gearing. Each crank-shaft 42 and 46 is provided with two sets of cranks projecting inopposite directions, as shown in Fig. 4, and-connected in a suitable manner with the corresponding cranks of the other shaft by horizontal rods or bars 49, each of which carries a series. of depending hoes or blades, 50, that are rigidly secured to said rods or bars. By means of the horizontal connecting rods or bars 49 and the spl'ocketgearing 47 48 the crank-shaft 46 is actuated from the crank shaft 42, the sprocket-gearing serving to impart a positive movement that carries the cranks over a d eadcenter and enables them to operate the hoes or blades 50 with a uniform motion. be seen that while one set of horizontal bars 49 and their attached hoes 50 are moving forward along the lower part of the amalgamating-pan and upward toward its tail end the other set of hoes are moving backward and downward into position to intercept thebackward movement of the sand toward the head of the pan and carry or force it to the tail end of the pan. The several hoes, by thus acting on the floating sand in different parts of the amalgamating-pan, gradually carry it to the elevators, hereinafter described, by which it is removed, while the gold, by its greater specific gravity, is separated and falls into the mercury on the bottom of the pan.

By arranging thehoes 50 and theirsupporting-bars 49 in two sets, as shown, each set .is caused to act alternately, and thus distribute the floating sand and break it up into several streams as it progresses toward the elevator, thereby preventing it from gathering in bulk and affording a betteropportunity for the fine gold to settle.

To the sides of the tank are attached hangers 51, Figs. 2 and 4, that project over and down into the amalgamating-pan and support at their lower ends longitudinal bars or rods It will 52-one in each side of the pan. These rods 52 support, near the bottom of the pan, a series of transverse stationary rakes, 50, to prevent any deposit of sand from caking on the surface of the mercury. The rakes 53 being stationary, while the pan 3 is in constant motion both longitudinally and laterally, it is obvious that the slight layer of sand deposited on the mercury will be constantly agitated by c0ntact with the rakes, which thus prevent the sand from being compacted and assist in keeping it atloat to be acted on and gradually removed by the hoes and elevator.

In the inclined end of the amalgamatingpan is located an elevator for removing the sand. This elevator consists of a series oi? buckets, 54-, carried by endless chains 55, mounted on sprocket-wheels 56, that are secured to shafts 57, journaled in the inclined portion of the tank. These elevater-buckets 5i are made of line-mesh battery-screen or similar perforattd material, so as to retain the sand taken up and permit the water to escape and tlow back into the amalgamatingpan. The elevator is driven by crossed belt ing 58, extended from a pulley, 59, on the crank-shaft 16 to a pulley, (30, on the upper clevator-shaft.

The ama-lgamatlug-pan 3 is constructed to allow a free circulath'm of waterbetween it and the tank through fine-meshed screens 61, located in the sides of the pan. It is also provided with an inclined or sloping tail end, 02, over which the water escaping from the elevator-huekels is recovered and its waste prevented. In carrying the sand to the elevator the hoes 50 have a tendency to cause the water to overflow at the tail end of the amalgamating-pan, and this is prevented by attaching to each sideot the pan an exterior return-pipe, U23, slightly inclined to the head of the pan, around which it passes and unites with a similar pipe on the opposite side, both pipes being made to open into the pan near its tail end at a poin t slightly above the normal water-level and discharge into the head of the pan through a transv rse slot, 6- at such aheight as to serve the purpose of washing away any slight deposit of sand that may have reacl'icd the head of the pan. It will thus be seen that all waste of water is etfectually prevented, and the machine tlwreby made particularly useful for the process of placer-mining in localities where water cannot be readily obtained.

The tankl should contain a sullieitmt depth of water to cover the screens til.,which are intended to give free acct s of water while preventing the placer material in the pan from escaping into the tank.

'To provide a suitable receptacle tor the mercury, the bottom of the amalgamating-pan is dropped down or sunk thoughout its entire width from the inner end of the incline ($2 to the head of the pan, thus formingashoulder, 65, at the inner end of the incline 62, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, to prevent any liability of the mercury being carried onto the incline during the operation of the machine.

The head of the amalgamating pan is curved in the arc of a circle, as shown,to correspond with the circle described by the rotation of the adjacent cranks on the shaft 42, and thus avoid the formation of any corner or crevice into which sand might be deposited. At the bottom of the curvature formed by the head of the pan is a transverse semi-cylindrical trough, to, Figs. 2, at, 5, and 6, sunk below the pan-bottom. This trough (i6 isclosed at one end and open at the other, shown in Fig. 5, and is slightly inclined toward its open end, as shown in Fig. -1-, to facilitate the removal of the amalgam after the process of amalgamation is completed. \Vhile the pan is in. operation separating the sand and collecting the precious metal. by amalgamation, the trough no is closed by means of a semicylindrical block, or, laid therein, so as to be tlush with the bottom oi? the pan. This block 67 is grooved longitudinally along its curved under side to tit over a longitudinal rib, (58, formed in the bottom of the trough to prevent the block from rocking sidewise, and turnbuttons 9 are arranged in the bottom of the pan to engage the upper surface of the block and so hold it securely in place. The trough 66 is thus tightly closed to prevent any escape of the pan contents until the block 67 is removed, when the amalgam will be allowed to ilow into the open trough 6o, whence it is tapped out-byany suitable means. As shown,

for instance, in l igs. 2 and Jr, the amalganr discharged through the trough (36 may be received in another trough, 70, arranged in the tank 1 and terminating on the outside of the tank in a pipe, Tl, havin a faucet, 7 2, to pre vent any loss of water while the machine is in operation.

\Vhile the machine is at work separating the gold and sand and collecting the precious metal into an amalgam, thealternately quick and slow back-and--torth vilnation of the amalgamating-pan tends to carryils contents toward its head end butthe sand is prevented from going in any quantity to the head, and is gradually worked oil? to the tail end of the pan by means oi the alternately-actin series of hoes 5( ,as already deseribenl. This opera tion of the pan should be continued for about half an hour after ceasing to supply the screening-box with material, and in that time the mz'tterial ren'laining in the screening-box and hopper will pass into the amalgamating-pa'l'l, and the hoes will work off the sand down to about the level. of the stationary rakes. lelow' this level the hoes will not be able to exert any action on the sand. The machine will now be stopped and the upper eccentric gear, 32, which is connected to the shaft 33 by a met-screw, 73, Fig. 3, will be disconnected and reversed. 011 now starting the machinethe anialgamating-pan will vibrate endwise with alterna tcly slow and quick movements in a manner the reverse of that in which it before operated, Which Will graduallycarry the remaining sand to the tail end of the machine to be taken up and removed by the elevator. In this action of the amalgamatingmn the amalgam in the bottom of the pan, by reason of its gravity, will not be moved to any extent, and the shoulder will prevent any of it from passing onto the incline 62 or within reach of the elevator. After all the sand has thus been removed, the trough 66 is uncovered and the eccentric gear 32 again reversed, thereby causing the pan 3 to be operated in the direction proper for conveying the amalgam toward the head of the pan and through the trough 66 to the outside of the machine. This action may be facilitated by forming the bottom of the an'ialgamating-pan on a slight incline from the shoulder 65 to the trough 66; but such construction is not essential, as the vibration of the pan is sufficient to remove all the amalgam when the trough 66 is uncovered. \Vhen the amalgam is thus removed from the machine, the block or cover 67 is again secured in the trough 66, and the amalgamating-pan is ready for another charge of mercury, which should be distributed to a suitable depth over the surface of the sunken pan-bottom.

IVhenever the fulcrum-rod 15 is adjusted, as before explained, to vary the throw of the screehing-box and feed the material With greater or less rapidity, according to its character, the force of the vibration given to the hopper 8 by the springs 20 acting against the cam 18 can be adjusted by means of the tension-bolts 21, so as to cause the material in the hopper to move toward and through the spout 22 with more or less speed. For the purpose of giving a steady movement to the various parts of the machine, fly-Wheels 74 and '7 5 may be placed on the shafts 2S. and 46, as shoivn. I

' What I claim as my invention is 1. In a separating and amalgamating machine, the combination of a Water-tank, a longitudinally and laterally vibratory amalgamating-pan suspended in the Water-tank and provided with screened openings to permit the passage of Water and prevent the placer material in the pan from passing into the tank, and a vibratory hopper suspended above the amalgamating-pan, substantially as described.

2. In a separating and amalgamating machine, the combination of a Water-tank, a vibratory amalgamating-pan suspended in the Water-tank and provided with screened openings, stationary rakes supported by the tank of crank-shafts, and a series of horizontal bars for supporting and actuating said hoes, and a vibratory hopper supported above the amalgainat'ingpan, substantially as described.

In a separating and amalgamating ma chine, the combination of a water tank, a vi bratory amalgamating-pan suspended in said tank and having lateral screened openings for the passage of water and lateral pipes for conveying water from the tail end of the pan and discharging it into the head of said pan, and a vibratory hopper supported above the amalgamating-pan, substantially as described.

4:. In a separating and amalgamating machine, the combination of a Water-tank and a vibratory amalgamating-pan suspended in said tank and provided'with lateral screened openings 61, incline 62, a sunken bottom having a transverse shoulder, 65, at the inner end of said incline, transverse slot 64, and exterior pipes, 63, communicating with the interior of the pan through said slot and through openings near the incline, substantially as described.

5. In a separating and amalgamating machine, thecombination of a Water-tank, a vibratory amalgainating-pan suspended in said tank, stationary rakes supported independently of the pan and transversely therein near its bottom, several sets of hoes suspended in the amalgamating-pan, a vibratory hopper supported above the amalgamating-pan, and an elevator located in the tail end of the machine, substantially as described.

6. In a separating and amalgamating machine, the combination of the tank having standards 2 and 2 the vibratory amalgamating-pan 3, the vibratory hopper 8, the vibratory screening-box 9, crank-shaft 33, pitman35, slotted levers 11, adjustable fulcrum-rod 15, shaft 19, cam 18, springs 20, tension-bolts 21, and gearing connecting shafts 33 and 19, substantially as described.

7. In a separating and amalgamating machine, the combination, with a freely-suspended amalgamating-pan, of the longitudi n al shaft 37, having eccentrics 38, the hinged levers 39, connecting said shaft with one side of the pan, the transverse shaft 28, the bevelgears 31 and 36, the eccentrically-placed elliptic gears 30 and 32, the transverse shaft 33', having eccentrics 34, and the hinged pitmen 35, connecting Withthe head of the amalgamating-pan, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EUGENE LOUIS GIROUX. lVitnesses:

A. R. BROWN, EW LL A. DICK. 

